71% youth population an 'opportunity or crisis'

Education and youth minister Sanet Steenkamp says the country's large youth population offers both an opportunity and a potential crisis if left unaddressed.

“Based on our 2023 national census, Namibia’s youth constitute 71.1% of our population and represent a powerful driver for economic growth and social transformation,” she said on Friday while presenting the motivation for Vote 27 in parliament.

"Our young people are our greatest asset and yet without targeted investment, this demographic dividend risks turning into a developmental challenge," Steenkamp said.

Central to government’s response is the expansion of the National Youth Service (NYS), which has been allocated N$122.4 million for the 2026/2027 financial year.

The programme is expected to train 1 500 recruits at its Henties Bay and Rietfontein centres, combining technical and vocational education with structured national service.

Bridging the gap

Steenkamp said the NYS is increasingly being positioned as a bridge between training and employment, linking young people to both public sector opportunities and broader economic participation.

“It is an investment in young people acquiring skills, it is an investment in an entrepreneur building a business, it is an investment in an athlete striving for excellence, and it is an investment in a nation working towards prosperity,” she said.

During the past financial year, more than 1 000 recruits were trained through partnerships with the defence force, police and correctional services, while hundreds were deployed to voluntary service projects across the country.

The programme has also fed directly into employment pipelines, with several recruits enlisted into the Namibian Defence Force.

Major push

In a further effort to strengthen this pathway, Cabinet has recently approved the deployment of NYS recruits to offices, ministries and agencies, as well as regional councils, for a period of three months. The deployments are intended to provide practical work experience while supporting service delivery across government.

Beyond the NYS, the broader youth development framework includes skills training, enterprise support, and access to finance through initiatives such as the Namibia Youth Credit Scheme. Government has also prioritised youth-focused infrastructure, including multipurpose resource centres and industrial parks aimed at stimulating entrepreneurship.

However, Steenkamp acknowledged ongoing challenges, including limited training capacity and the need to better align skills development with labour market demands.